Posted By Ben Rohrbach On July 18, 2011 @ 11:55 am In General | 1 Comment

After dunking over former Celtics forward Rasheed Wallace twice[1] during his debut at the SJG Greater NC Pro-Am (a.k.a “The Rucker of the South”), Duke University’s No. 1 basketball recruit and son of Celtics[2] coach Doc Rivers[3], Austin Rivers, continued to put on a dazzling display of moves at the event, which includes high school graduates, college players, current NBA players and former pros. His latest victim, thanks to a Tim Hardaway-esque killer crossover: NC State’s Lorenzo Brown (see embedded video).

SLAM: What is the one thing that you’ve learned the most from your father (Celtics coach Doc Rivers)?

AR: “Just never to settle, man. There have been so many kids that have talent that have just stopped getting better. That’s one of the reasons that I have been ranked amongst the top players for so long. Even when I was ranked No. 3 in the country, that really bothered me because I always want to be the best. You can rank me 100 or 1, but I’m always going to work to be the best. That’s the main thing that my dad taught me: Never settle.”

First, John F. Kennedy said, “Once you say you’re going to settle for second, that’s what happens to you in life.” And then Sarah Jessica Parker said, “Some people are settling down, some people are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies.” Now, we can add Glenn Anton Rivers and his “Never settle” mantra to this list of advice from America’s greatest heroes: J.F.K., S.J.P. and G.A.R.

If only my father had told me to never settle. There have been so many bloggers that have talent that have just stopped getting better. That’s one of the reasons that I have been ranked among the worst bloggers for so long. Even when I was ranked No. 3,736,492 in the country, that really bothered me because I always want to be the best. You can rank me 100 millionth or 1 millionth, but I’m always going to work to be the best.

Seriously, though, whose side is Doc Rivers on during the NBA lockout: the owners or the players? Whichever it is, let’s just hope they don’t heed his advice never to settle.